Who’s Calling?
A Sermon for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 22, 2023
The Rev. Robin Teasley
Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. Matthew 4:12-23
Most of us have caller ID on our phones. When we don’t recognize the number and there’s no name in the display, then it’s easy to just ignore the call. And if it’s someone we know, but would rather not talk to, then we are likely to go through a few moments of wretched indecision. Do I answer it or not? I don’t have time to listen to my talkative cousin for an hour tonight. I don’t want to hear Mom and Dad tell me for the hundredth time what I ought to be doing with my life. I don’t want to listen to that childhood friend who has made it big but only calls me when she’s had too much to drink. You know those calls.
But then there are those times when we do know who is calling us, and we know we should answer, yet we still hesitate. We hesitate because we know that answering the call is going to require something of us; a decision, a commitment, maybe a change in our lives. What if your caller ID said GOD? Then what? Would you answer the phone?
In the Gospel texts in the season of Epiphany, calls are being made. At his baptism, a voice from heaven called out to Jesus, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Last week we heard this story from the Gospel of John. In John’s account, after he is baptized, Jesus wastes no time calling the first disciples. Today we hear that John the Baptist answered God’s call and it landed him in prison. Then Jesus withdrew to Galilee and calls to the crowds to repent and become a part of God’s in-breaking kingdom. Finally, Jesus calls Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave their nets and follow him, bringing their simple fishing business to a whole new level.
Here’s the thing about call - God meets us where we are and calls us when we are ready, even if we don’t think we are. God did not call me to ordained ministry as a young adult. God called me to work as a chemist and then to stay home with our family. God called me to teach preschoolers and work in a mental healthcare environment, and then to care for the very real spiritual needs of those with dementia, and to be a middle school chaplain and religion teacher. This is a pretty random collection, yet each of those calls prepared me for what was yet to come. Because God keeps calling us to new things, if we will trust and answer the phone!
Jesus met the disciples where they were - on the beach with their nets, and in the boat with their father. He invited them to follow as fishermen; he called them to be more of who they were created to be. We don’t have to become someone or something that we aren’t in order to follow Jesus. The disciples called in today’s Gospel were fishermen. I suspect Jesus would just as easily call carpenters to be builders of the kingdom, artists to paint the kingdom, doctors and nurses to help heal the kingdom, or teachers to teach about the kingdom. Jesus calls us to use the gifts and talents we have been given to bring the kingdom near to all. We are called, over and over, to the next thing that will give us a deeper experience of life in Christ.
To respond to this call may mean that we have some nets to put down, or boats to step out of. Perhaps we are being called to stop our futile attempts at controlling our own lives or the lives of others. There may be people we need to forgive, or others toward whom we might practice more compassion. We may have addictions to unhealthy substances or ways of behavior. It might be that God is calling us to try something completely new, to be willing to change, to be open to adventures we did not think possible. Working without a net or stepping out of the boat we have been so comfortable in for so long isn’t easy. It requires radical trust and vulnerability. It’s like answering that phone call we know will bring a change to our day, our year, our life.
When we are in a place where there is no cell tower nearby, sometimes the reception is sketchy and we cannot hear who is calling, or the call just won’t go through. Other times we need to recharge our phones. We may miss God’s calls to us when our lives get too focused on success at all costs, too busy for worship or prayer, too crowded to simply be still and listen for God in all the static of the world. We realize we’ve moved out of the range of reception of a word from God, or neglected self-care to the point that “low battery” is displayed on our life screen.
This may be what was going on in the church at Corinth. The Apostle Paul was writing to them because he had heard there were quarrels and divisions among them. They were so busy justifying themselves that they could not hear one another anymore, and even worse, they could not hear God’s call to them. Paul wrote to remind them that they were not to belong to human leaders, not to argue or take sides. This behavior was separating them from Christ and from the power of God. Paul’s reminder is also for us in our own lives where self-importance and partisanship are causing so many quarrels and divisions. The Corinthians were living on low batteries.
It is essential to recharge so that we can answer God’s call to us. When the next Rector arrives at Immanuel, there will be calls inviting you to help in countless ways. Every small offering we make is an answer to God’s call to be disciples, whether we know it or not. Each of us has unique gifts, and as we share our gifts with one another, we become the Church, building up the Body of Christ. Every single one of us here is a blessing to someone else; together we are the household of God.
I think it’s important to remind ourselves that the phone works both ways. Have you made any calls lately to ask for help, to volunteer to join a ministry, or to invite a friend to come and see why you follow Jesus? Whether you are new to our community or have been here awhile, whether you are young or young at heart, the phone is always ringing, and the caller ID? Well, you know who’s calling. Will you answer God’s call?
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